Case Study: The University of Texas System modernizes benefits enrollment and boosts member satisfaction with Benefitfocus

Modernizing the UTS Benefits Eligibility and Enrollment System

The University of Texas System’s Office of Employee Benefits oversees coverage for 134,000 employees and retirees across 14 academic and medical institutions. Facing the planned decommissioning of a 26‑year‑old mainframe enrollment system—and aiming to become a national model for higher education benefits while a large portion of staff were nearing retirement—UTS needed a fast, modern solution to improve member experience and preserve administrative continuity.

After an RFP, UTS implemented Benefitfocus Benefitplace as a cloud-based SaaS platform in a phased rollout (16 instances including each institution, system admin and OEB). The solution standardized business rules across varied payroll systems, automated routine tasks, enabled staff to shift to strategic roles, and delivered guided enrollment with decision support and educational content. Results included 84,732 benefit elections during annual enrollment, an 80.7% satisfaction rating, and strategic resource realignment.

The University of Texas System

Laura Chambers

Executive Director, Office of Employee Benefits